A Single Red Rose
by Inu-Youkai Kagome Higurashi
Summary: Kagome is Sesshoumaru's younger sister and she’s sick of being ‘babied’, well as close to being babied as Sesshoumaru can get to, so she decides to go off on her own. With nothing but a few changes of cloths and her bow. During her travels she meet
1. Default Chapter

                                                A Single Red Rose: Summary

Kagome is Sesshoumaru's younger sister and she's sick of being 'babied', well as close to being babied as Sesshoumaru can get to, so she decides to go off on her own. With nothing but a few changes of cloths and her bow.  During her travels she meets a strange group, one who she has found to be the half brother she never knew about. A lecherous monk, and an ex-youkai slayer. Also on her travels she runs into a kitsune close to her age, Shippo. Will romance spark? Or will the many obstacles thrown in the way deter them from pursuing a relationship? Follow along on the journey to see what will happen. Lots of love and what not comin' up!

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 Weird couple I know. But I got the idea from an RP I'm doing. It's pretty spiffy so far so I hope to make the story just as good. Dun forget to –review- when the cappies come out. Flames are welcome! Ja!


	2. A Single Red Rose: Escape

                                                              A Single Red Rose

                                                                        Escape

            It was a long fall. A -really- long fall. Feh, she was a youkai, she could make it, she hoped. All her brothers training would not go to waist, she would not be considered weak. Besides, what was the point of being taught how to fight if you were locked behind a high brick wall, to high for even her to jump? It was pointless, why let all those skills go to waist? She huffed slightly, pushing thick locks of silver-black hair off her shoulder, and adjusted the bag on her back as she moved into the windows ledge. She would go by way of the forest; the wall was shorter there since no one though any one would go through the youkai-infested forest to get to the castle. No one but her. She took a few deep breaths to relax herself before the leap to uncertain doom while chanting, to herself, a quiet mantra that was oddly doing her wonders.

            "Oi, come on Kagome, you can do it. No one knows your plan." Her silver, but black tipped, dog like ears twitched a bit, listing for anything out of the ordinary. Considering she was full youkai she had the power to alter parts of her body, like make her ears as they were now which is how she liked them. She could do other things, weird things but cool things, that normal youkai couldn't or so Sesshoumaru told her. Shaking her head she took another deep breath and held it as she pushed herself out of her window and fell towards the ground. The only sounds she made were the soft ripple of clothing as the wind blew at it and the just as soft 'thump' of her feet as she landed. 

            She took no more than a second to glance around for anyone, or anything, that might spoil her getaway. Nothing. Yes! She was actually going to get away with it. A small, sinister, chuckle left her as she quickly and silently made her way towards the forest. This was almost too easy, but then again her brother never had guards patrolling the grounds, only watching the outer wall. To add to her good luck everyone, including Sesshoumaru, thought she was happy with her life here. Well, who wouldn't? She had everything any one would want, human and youkai alike. Silk cloths, plenty of land to roam-though she never did-, people that did everything for her when she let them, and an over protective brother. There was more but she didn't want to dwell on it. She wanted out and she wanted out now! 

            As she slipped into the forest she became more on guard. She knew what type of youkai resided there and how they were ruthless. She only had to keep moving at the speed that she was, which was pretty damn fast, and mask her sent from the hidden demons. One reason she hated this forest was because that the only sound that came from it was silence, unless some of the youkai were fighting or stalking something then, and only then, could one hear the slight rustle of a bush or a snap of a twig. 

            There! There it was! The wall that signified freedom! She would have screamed out a victory cheer but she was smarter than that, so she settled for the twitch of her ears and slight wag of her tail instead. (AN-Kagome is like Fluffy so she has that kinda tail but like her ears the tip is black) A few more paces and she was out. She gathered her speed and bunched the muscles in her legs, pushing off the ground when she was but a few feet away to leap over the wall. Once she was over it she induldged herself with a small, gleeful cheer.

            Little did she know that three figures had been following her. "Should we go after her my lord?" 

            The tallest of the three shook his head. "No. Let her go. She will soon find out how tought the outside world is. Let her get a taste of it, she will come crawling back." With that all three figures waited untill the silver/black blur was out of sight before turing to head back to the castle.


	3. A Single Red Rose: It's important to kno...

Allo all, I hope the first chappie of A Single Red Rose was worth reading. This is my first ever Inuyasha fic! *****Cheers for herself* Ahem, anywho, I won't clutter the page with silly little author notes and delay the story any longer. Also, I'm sure all of you know what youkai means but if not it just means demon. On to the story!

                                                            A Single Red Rose

                        It's important to know whom you're attacking before you attack

            A days worth of running had gotten her pretty far from the western lands. She would not, could not, go back. No matter what. This had been her decision and besides, how bad could the outside world be? Pretty bad the way Sesshoumaru made it out to be. But that's one reason she wanted to leave the castle. To have the adventure she was denied while inside the castles walls. This whole thing, the whole idea of escaping, she could place on Sesshoumaru's shoulders if she really wanted to. After all he was the one that made everything outside of the wall see like some sort of haven instead of a prison. 

            So now here she was, coming upon a village, with her pack hooked over one shoulder and her pant leggings covered in a dust from the speed she had been running at. That was only making this whole thing more fun, had she gotten her cloths dirty back home she would have been scolded but a very neat-freakish youkai lord. Shaking her head a bit her ears twitched slightly at the sound of men and women screaming. It was coming from the village she was nearing. Sniffing at the scents the wind brought her she growled softly. A youkai and, by the sounds of it, a bad one. She secured her bag and ran the rest of the way to the village, skidding to a halt at the rather large centipede youkai skimming along inches above the ground. Setting her bag in the crook of a tree she stretched, cracking her next slightly.

            "Hey, ugly!" At her call the centipede paused mid destroying a hut. "Yeah, I'm talking to you!" she ignored the slight gasps from the bystanders and the calls of there being another youkai. Her tail was twitching in anticipation and a smirk curled the corners of her lips upwards. Her first real fight. It should be easy considering her toughest opponent was Sesshoumaru and this youkai was defiantly weaker than her brother.

            She was prepared for the attack by the time the youkai had charged at her and she lunged head on towards it, her claws flexing. She wouldn't need do transform for this weak of a creature. She moved slightly to the side with her right arm out so that when the youkai skimmed past her, her claws cut deeply into its flesh. It shirked and hissed at her. So, it wasn't going to go down with out her actually trying. Good for it. Grinning she make a beckoning motion with her index finger while mouthing the words 'come on'.  The centipede screeched and lunged for her but this time she had a different tactic. She dropped down when the youkai passed over her, thrusting her hand up so that her claws penetrated the soft flesh of the things underbelly, letting the movement of the youkai to split the thing open. Another stupid demon, doesn't know to stop moving forward when something that can rip it open it in it.

            Shaking her hand off to get the green slime like substance, the youkai's blood, off her hand she wrinkled her nose. Something needed to be done about the body. Grasping the end of the centipede she dragged it outside of the village and tossed it into the forest around it. Let the other youkai feast off of that. Using some grass she whipped her hand off better and went back to the village to collect her bag. When she went to swing the pack on she yelped as a small shock of pain when through her shoulder, Shifting her bag down to her hand she covered the place that it hurt and blinked, amazed to see blood on her hand. When did that happen?

            "Lady, you're hurt. Please let me take you to our healer. It is the least I can do for you since you save out village." She blinked and looked down to the small girl that had spoken. She just smiled and nodded, taking the girls hand when she held it out.

            The village healer turned out to be an old woman whose hut reeked of different herbs all mixed together. Some of the herbs she could pic out smelt pretty good but there were others that were just over powering. So the putrid and pretty smell clashing was enough to make anyone, with a sensitive nose, gag. It took Kagome a moment to remember that she could tone down her sense of smell, as well as anything else, so she did and breathed a quick thank you to Kami for enabling her with that power.

            "Ahhhh, ye must be the one who just rid our village of that youkai. Come, sit, and I will tend to ye wounds." Kagome would have protested with the fact that she would just heal over the period of an hour but the sticky feeling of blood dripping down her back, making her shirt stick to her back, was rather annoying. So she moved to where the old woman had motioned her to sit and proceeded to take off her shirt. 

As soon as her shirt was off the small girl took it, to clean she guessed, a cold past like substance was plastered over the wound and it stung. "Gah!" Her shoulders snapped back and her ears pinned to her skull as she hissed. "You could have warned me that was going to sting!"

The old woman just chuckled, continuing to work the past over the wound. "Oh, child, this will sting a wee bit." 

            Kagome huffed, arms crossing over her chest, and slumped forward a bit. "Thanks for the warning." it was said sarcastically of course and with a hint of childishness to it. "By the way, I'm Kagome."

            "It tis nice to meet you Kagome. I'm am Kaede and the village healer as you know." Kaede wrapped the wound with the stinging paste stuff still on it, much to Kagome's displeasure. "There. Now don't ye go and reopen that wound afore it can heal." Kaede handed a shirt to Kagome, much like her own, while hers was being washed. She pulled it on while she stood and her tail hooked over her shoulder again. If there was one thing she wished she could get rid of it was the fluffy tail she shared with her brother. It made a good pillow but other than that it was pretty much useless and just damn annoying.  

            The flap of the hut was suddenly pulled back and a boy that looked like her brother, minus the symbols on his body and with dog ears like her own, stormed into the place, sniffing. "I can smell him…there's woman on him but I can smell him." She lifted a brow at the boys growling then as his eyes narrowed on her. "Sesshoumaru." 

This made Kagome blink. Since when did she look like her brother? She had no time to dwell on that subject before the boy lunged at her, hand extended. She eeped and leapt out of the way, dodging out of the hut, Kaedes' voice calling out something, the boys name perhaps. She didn't have time to catch it though before she had to dodge another strike. "Hey! What are you attacking me for!?" Her voice made the guy stumble and his eyes widened.

"Y-you're not Sesshoumaru!" 

Quick one wasn't he? "No? Ya think? I'm a bit to female to be my brother." She felt a muscle in her eye start to twitch as the boy clad in red started to circle her, eyeing her up and down. "Oi! Keep you eyes, and hands," she slapped his hand away from her ears and tail, "to yourself bucko!"

            "Inuyasha, it would help the village greatly if you used your brain, though Kami knows how small it is, to find out who your attacking -before-  you attack!"


	4. A Single Red Rose: Onward Men: Enter San...

Hanyou- Half human, half demon

Youkai- Demon

Miko- Priestess

Hiraikotsu- Sangos' boomerang

                                                            A Single Red Rose

                                    Onward men: Enter Sango and Miroku

            'So, I have a half brother. One that Sesshoumaru just -happened- to forget to tell me about.' Of course her brother would leave out the little fact that she had a hanyou for half sibling. He was part human. And everyone knew how much Fluffy-sama -hates- humans. She just might after meeting Inuyasha if his intelligence level was that of any human. But compared to most people in this village, Kaede mostly, he was just stupid in his own little way. That was a good thing, sort of; it meant that she didn't have to regard humans as Sesshoumaru did.  

            "Kagome, maybe ye should take Inuyasha with ye travels. It would relieve a great deal of stress from the village and if need be ye can always come back to restock supplies and what not."  Kaede almost sounded pleading to Kagome but the old miko would never sound like that. Would she?

            "Um, sure Kaede. That is if Inuyasha wants to go." 'Is he really that annoying?' The only answer he gave to the idea was a quickly grunted 'feh'. She took that as a yes. Kagome eyed the dog boy who was sitting against the wall, indian style, with a rusty sword propped up against his shoulder. She arched a brow. "Inuyasha, is that the Testsiga?" 

            Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her, clutching the sword closer to him. "What if it is, bitch?"

            She narrowed her eyes right back at him. "I was just wondering, geese. Don't need to bite my head off. But I'll take that rather rude answer as a yes." She cocked her head to the side. "Can I see it?"

            The corners of his mouth turned up into a smirk and he nodded. "Sure, why not. Outside though. Wouldn't want to ruin Kaedes' lovely hut." He stood and walked from the hut, a somewhat confused Kagome in tow. "Alright, here." He pulled the sword from its sheath and handed it to her with the blade pointed down. He was chuckling in his mind. 'The stupid bitch doesn't know the Testsiga repels all full youkai from…touching...it?' His trail of thought ended when he saw the rusty blade in the girls' hand but the blade was no longer rusty. Had this been an actual anime Inuyasha would have a father large sweat drop rolling down the back of his head.

            "Nice blade. Though I don't see why it isn't in this form all the time." She smiled and handed it back, transforming it back to the rusted piece of junk Inuyasha treasured so much. "Good thing you don't let my brother, er, our brother get his hands on it. Kami knows what he would do with it."

            A few days later, after stocking on all the necessities for a good trip, Inuyasha and Kagome set out to only their feet knew where.  Not many words were exchanged since they both ran and the wind created by it would just whip the words away before the other could receive them. So a comfortable silence had settled over the two, and a few races happened though neither party knew it.

            During one of the very few times that the two decided to walk, well it was Kagome who wanted to walk to she had to 'convince' Inuyasha to do the same, they came upon a strange pair of people. 

            "Henti!!! *Whack*" reached the sensitive ears of the two youkai, making them wince at the volume.

            "Really Sango, was that necessary? I already have more than enough bruises from you." A male voice joined the females only it sounded more amused than hurt.

            "Then keep you hands to yourself!"

            "Sango, love of my life, dearest, honey bun we're married. How can you tell me to keep my-*whack*" She scene Kagome and Inuyasha came upon was in deed a funny one. The man, garbed in purple and black priest robes, was in quite an awkward position on the ground and the woman was holding a Hiraikotsu where the mans head had once been. 

When the woman looked up as saw the two of them she let out a sheepish type laugh. "Um, hello." She was reaching down to grope for the guys' robes and yanked him to his feet. 

Kagome smiled while Inuyasha eyed the Hiraikotsu and then the large lump forming on the back to the priest dudes head. "Hi. Trouble with the husband?"  

At Kagome's words the woman, Sango is what the man had called her, visibly relaxed and let the man go to drop back to the ground. "Yes. Though it seems to be a ritual for him. Feel me up get hit, explain, feel up again, get hit again, ect, ect, ect." 

Kagome tilted her head to the side, eyeing the dizzied monk. "But he looks like a priest. Why would he be a letcher?"

Sango just laughed, poking the guys' rips with the toe of her shoe. "Miroku is a monk but he is a womanizing one. I guess it is because he was raised by a monk that was always drunk." She sighed wistfully. "But he is a good guy and he has toned down to just groping me instead of every woman he sees. Even though it doesn't look like it I love him and he knows it."

Kagome smiled at the dreamy look on the woman's face then blinked when the monk on the ground groaned and jumped up to his feet, picking up a discarded staff. "So, what did I miss?" Miroku wiggled his brows up and down at Sango and managed to duck the blow that was sent for his head. "What? It was an innocent comment." Sango just huffed and glared at her husband.

"Oh! How rude of us. I'm Kagome and that there is Inuyasha." She jerked a thumb at the hanyou who just crossed his arms over his chest and fehed. Leaning towards Sango with her hand covering the side of her mouth she whispered, "Not big in the brains department but he's okay."

"Hey! I heard that bitch!" His only response was Kagome sticking her tongue out at him and he growled back.

"Not very proper with language around ladies either."

            "Feh, I might be -if- I saw any ladies around." Suddenly the hanyou found himself twitching in pain on the ground with three rather large lumps on the back of his head. One was from Kagome's fist, another from Sango's Hiraikotsu, and the third from Miroku's staff. 

            "Serves you right Inufasha." Miroku stated with a nod of his head.

            "It's InuYAsha you idiot." Came the grumbled reply from the ground then a yelp as the monk hit him again.

            "Would you two like to join us? Were just going on a journey to no where yet everywhere."

            "Sure!" Came the two happily chirped replies following one hanyous unhappy groan. 

            And this, my dear readers, is how our group of two turned to a group of four with room yet for anyone else they came upon.


	5. A Single Red Rose: Shape Shifting Madnes...

Thank you all for your reviews, and, Sora Moto, I will start remembering to describe what Kagome is wearing.  

Inu-youkai- Dog demon

Kitsune- Fox

                                                            A Single Red Rose

                                    Shape Shifting Madness: Enter the Kitsune Shippo

            Two days, and lots of Miroku and Inuyasha bashing, later found our group with an added fire cat that had caught up with its mistress and in new territory. Now that Sango and Miroku had joined Kagome and Inuyasha did more walking than usual, making a certain hanyou grumble about slow humans. But a compromise had been reached. When Inuyasha wanted to run, as long as his urges to move faster were within reasonable time spaces, the monk and his wife would ride on Kirara. This was met with a few more grumbles but also an agreement on the hanyous' part.

            At the moment the group was standing out side a shield of bluish colored fire. Inuyasha had tired to go through but had gotten thrown back with his shirt making a slight sizzle sounds, Miroku had tried and the same thing happened to him, Sango had the brains enough not to try so all three of them were looking at Kagome.

            "What?! What makes you think -I- can get through? You guys couldn't." She was starting to get freaked out by the stares she was receiving.

            "But maybe it repels just humans. It could have repelled Inuyasha because he is half human. You on the other hand are full youkai." Miroku made a show of that statement by making his voice all serious while holding his left hand in front of his chest in a prayer like position, his eyes closed.

            "Come on Kagome just go through the damned shield already and find a way to disarm it." Inuyasha had found a place under a tree to stand with his head bowed and his arms crossed over his chest.

            Growling at him Kagome mumbled about stupid hanyous' that needed attitude adjustments. So, taking a deep breath she held out a clawed hand and, ever so slowly, moved her hand towards the shield. Her left eye was squeezed shut while her right was narrowed to see if anything bad would happen. Then suddenly something rammed into her back and she tumbled forward, into and through the barrier. Whipping around to glare at the person who dared do so she was surprised to see that she was being looked at strangely. "Whoever did that will pay!" Well, if she hadn't been pushed she could just her Miroku since Inuyasha hadn't moved from his tree and the monk was the only one that would have done it. Sango was too nice. 

            Brushing her hands down her sides to smooth out imaginary wrinkles from the miko cloths that Kaede had lent she looked around where she was. "Okay so maybe they had been right about only youkai being able to go through." But that didn't make sense. Obviously the shield was meant to keep things out and youkai were more treating that humans. Glancing back over her shoulder at the others before she started to move further she stopped in the middle of some sort of clearing. There were trees and bushes surrounding an area that had a small spring in it and the sent of a youkai was in the air. "Hmm…"

            As she looked around she was to late to notice the shadow that had suddenly lurked over her and a scaly green hand close over her mouth while an arm just as green and scaly pinned her arms to her sides as it went around her waist. "You dare enter my territory!" The voice had a slight hiss to it, meaning the youkai that held her was a snake, and clawed fingers dug slightly into the flesh of her cheek. "You will die for thisssss."

            'Wait a minute! I'm an inu-youkai! And inu-youkai are stronger than snake youkai!' Growling lowly against the hand she managed to slam her elbows back into the body behind her, successfully making the thing let go of her. Leaping away she spun to face the youkai, crouched low in a fighting stance. But what she saw was not a snake that was green and scaly but something furry and reddish orange. 'A kitsune?!' Her eye began to twitch as she watched the kitsune right itself while rubbing its abdomen. 'A really cute kitsune. Gah! Bad Kagome!' 

            "You have pointy elbows you know that?" The kit was glaring at her with, what seemed like, icy emerald colored eyes. 

            Kagome huffed and straightened herself, folding her arms over her waist while glaring back at him. "Well if -you- hadn't threatened to kill me -maybe- I wouldn't have done that."

            The kit just growled and glared at her even more, dropping his arms to his sides. "Well if -you- hadn't passed through my fox fire then niter one of would have had to worry about this confrontation." Why was it he kept egging her on? Was it because she looked cute when her eyes flashed with anger and her sent flared, a whiff of vanilla and roses reached his nose. 'She smells good.' The kit shook his head. "Anyway I'm Shippo and how -did- you pass through my fox fire? It was supposed to keep -everything- out that wasn't already in." 

            'So Miroku and the others had been wrong. I was supposed to be blocked from entering also. So then how -did- I get in?' "Uh, I'm Kagome and you've got me on that one."        


	6. A Single Red Rose: Carefree Days Lead to...

                                                            A Single Red Rose

                                            Carefree Days Lead to Troubled Times 

            The kitsune and inu-youkai stood there a while longer, just looking at each other. That is until Kagomes' had flew up and slapped against her forehead. "The others! I forgot all about them!" She rubbed the back of her head a bit. "Uh, Shippo, do you think you can let them through? It's only two humans and a hanyou. Though the hanyou has an attitude problem."

Shippo blinked and nodded. "Uh, sure." Moments later the others appeared in the small clearing.

            "Its about time bitch. We were beginning to think you had forgotten about us." 

            Kagome rolled her eyes and scoffed, folding her arms over her waist. "Well, I wish I had forgotten about -you-, I like Sango and Miroku a whole lot better." Inuyasha just fehed at her comment and looked away. "Anyway, guys, this is Shippo. Shippo this is Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha." The two humans greeted the kitsune with a polite hello but the hanyou just looked him over and gave off a feh. "What did I tell you, Shippo? Needs a major attitude adjustment, don't you think?"  Shippo just nodded in agreement.

            So, our group has been built up to five, six including the fire cat, and are now continuing on the path they had set out on. Weeks passed and the group became closer friends, with few demons attacking during there travels, but the peace that had lasted for a month or so for the group was not to last. After all, how could it? Yet how it changed was not pleasant and it confused the group to no end. For, you see, as they traveled on deeper into woods and unknown territory, a demon they encountered had demanded for the Shikon no Tama. And it is well known that the Shikon no Tama had vanished years, almost centuries, ago when the priestess Kikyou died and had it cremated with her. So our group puzzled about that and what it could mean.

            "If the Shikon jewel is back again then our times of peace are over. Demons from everywhere will start attacking villages demanding for it. Even if it isn't there. You all know the legend of it. How Kikyou was given power over it because she had the power to purify it, keep it natural between darkness and light. Then a great demon had challenged her for it yet she refused to give it over and ended up giving her life for it. Since then there has been no sign of it. So why now?" Miroku was leaning against the trunk of a tree with his arms folded over his staff, looking a lot like Inuyasha with his Testsiga, his eyes closed as he spoke.

            "We've got to find the location of the jewel. I have a feeling that if we don't something evil will and use it to destroy all we know." Sango added her two cents in while Kagome nodded in agreement with her.

            "Feh, well as long as it's back I can use it to become a full fledged demon. Finally." 

            Kagome glared at him. "Inuyasha don't you know that the Shikon brings nothing but sorrow and misery to people? Besides if, and that's a big if, you manage to get hold of the jewel to wish that you'll just taint it even more than it already is and then it'll never rest like it should."

            "Look, bitch, I don't care what happens to the jewel. I just need it to make me a full demon." Before Kagome could retort the hanyou leapt into the trees and vanished within their foliage, leaving the rest of the group to wonder which tree he was in. 

            "Stupid Inuyasha, he doesn't get it. If he makes that wish nothing good will come of it. Say he does become a full demon; because the jewel is already tainted it might make him a killer. And we all know that Inuyasha would hate to kill anything but demons that attack helpless villages, even if he does say he doesn't care." At Kagomes statement all four grounded people looked towards where the hanyou had vanished. "I hope you'll let go of that dream Inuyasha. For all of our sakes if not yours."

            The conversation stopped there as every one prepared for bed, minus one hanyou who was deep in thought. What Kagome had said struck true to the demon. "Feh…stupid wench." 


	7. A Single Red Rose: The Shikon no Tama Re...

To answer Kire's question Sesshoumaru will show up in a few chapters. Once everything starts to build up. ^_~

"…" Speaking

'…' Thoughts

       A Single Red Rose

                                                The Shikon no Tama Reviled

            The group was on a move again, Inuyasha leading with Miroku and Sango behind him and Shippo and Kagome behind them. The plan was that at every village they stopped at they would ask what they've heard about the Shikon no Tama and it's location. Yet at every village, or every person they ran into, said the same thing. That the only thing they knew about it was that the demons were looking for it and where the location was they had no clue. 

            "This is ridiculous! We're never going to find it at this rate." Needless to say Inuyasha was the only one who took not finding the jewel, in less than the four days they had started out for it, to heart. Also needless to say the others were getting pretty annoyed with the Hanyou and his endless complaining.

            "Inuyasha, take it as a good sign that we haven't found it yet.  That just means that the other demons looking for it are having just as much trouble as we are." Leave it to Miroku to be the only one not to pounce on the hanyou like two females and one kitsune were about to do.

            "Feh." Was the monks' only reply but he did shut up for the remainder of the day, much to everyone's pleasure. 

            After walking for a few hours in silence, each member of the group having their one things to think about, the sound of fast approaching steps reached the youkai ears along with the sent of youkai. When the three youkai tensed and crouched the slightest bit as if ready for battle the two humans knew something was about to happen, not necessarily a good thing.

            "Give me the Shikon! I -must- have the Shikon!" The voice was raspy and it screeched on the word must, making Kagome, Shippo, and Inuyasha wince. "Give it to me!" The youkai wasn't something any one could make out. It looked like half snake and half human, with the exception of it having six arms and three eyes. But at the same time the snake part didn't look so, er, snakey.

            "We don't have the Shikon! So bug off ya over grown garden snake!" Inuyasha pulled the Testsiga from its sheath and lunged at the youkai, but it dodged and swerved past him, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango while voiding all of their attacks. Where it was heading was towards Kagome who was waiting for it with a smirk on her face. What she didn't expect to happen was for the youkai too swerve around to be behind her then bring it's tail down, hard, on her back making her stumble and the wind to be knocked out of her. 

            "Give it! I know you have it! Giiiiive me the Shikon!"

            "Look here you filthy youkai -I- don't have the stupid jewel!" Kagome managed to dodge the next tail blow that came at her but not the arms that shot out to grab her. In less than two seconds her arms were being held back by the youkai's second pair of arms while the first pressed against her neck and waist, cutting off her air supply. 

            When the others started to attack the youkai turned so that if the managed to hit the thing they would hit Kagome instead. "Now you don't want to hurt her do you?" Each member of the group scowled but didn't move, though Shippo growled lowly and his eyes flashed a deep red before returning to their natural emerald color.

            Kagome was beginning to feel light headed and black spot were appearing before her eyes. The only thing she could do was exhale and when she tried to inhale the youkais' arms just tightened. After a few more moments Kagome felt the strength leave her limbs and her eyes start to slide closed. Right before she passed out she heard two, one louder than the other, enraged howls but then there was nothing but blackness.  

'No! I cannot and will not die like this!' Kagome felt some foreign, yet familiar, power start to build up inside of her. There was a brief flash of pinkish-purple light and the sound of the youkais' pained screech. The arms that held Kagome released her and she felt to the ground. A wind was blowing her hair gently, sending wisps of it to cross over her face, as she stood and her eyes were empty and shining the same color as the light that had flashed. The wind was only affecting her and the other watched on in amazement as she turned to face the youkai. "You…must die." Calmly the female inu-youkai lifted her right hand, palm facing the other youkai. A deep blue light that was covered in purplish sparks short from her palm and into the youkai, obliterating it.

Once the youkais' ashes settled Kagome dropped her hand and turned to face the others, the same empty look in her eyes. Then the wind settled to nothing and her eyelids slid closed over her eyes as she fell forward, only to be caught by Shippo who darted to her. 

            "Guys, I think we may have found the jewel." Sago's quiet statement only added to the stunned silence from the men. Oh yes, they had found the Shikon. But the question was, was it in Kagome or was Kagome her self -the- Shikon no Tama?


	8. A Single Red Rose: Mama Always Said Neve...

"…" Speaking

'…' Thinking                                                               

                                                            A Single Red Rose

                        Mama Always Said Never Listen To the Voices in You're Head

            The group, well minus the still unconscious Kagome, had found an abandoned hut to rest in and wait for their friend to recover. Everyone was watching her and even Inuyasha's big mouth was shut. The same questions ran through everyone's head. Was Kagome the Shikon, or did it reside in her? Whatever one it was they had a feeling a lot more demons would be attacking them, and all of them would have the same goal. Kill Kagome for the Shikon. 

            Kagome's groan snapped everyone from his or her thoughts and back to the present. "Arg, what hit me? Feels like some one dropped a house on my head." Her hand lifted and covered her eyes but at the silence from her friends she moved her hand and blinked, looking at all the faces just staring at her. "What? What are you all looking at me like that for?"

            "Kagome do you remember anything about the fight we were in just hours ago?" Miroku kept his voice steady but the look in his eye, as well as in the others, told Kagome something happened.

            "All I remember was being held by that thing, passing out, then a bright flash of light. That's it. Why? What happened?"

            "Hmm…it's as I suspected…" Miroku eyes closed and he held his hand in a prayer like position.

            "What did you suspect Miroku?" Kagome was getting worried, and frustrated for not being told what was going on.

            "I don't know. I just thought I should sound like I knew something." That remark from the Monk had each person in the hut falling over, had they not been sitting in the first place.

            "Miroku…" The muscle in Sango's left eye started to twitch and Miroku laughed, holding his hands up like some one would when surrendering.

            "Alright, alright. I was just kidding, geese. Tough crowd, tough crowd. The looks he was getting meant he better start explaining and explain fast. "Well, think about it, if Kagome has the Shikon within her then she would be able to use the power that it gave off and remember what happened only because the jewel is itself and, if needed, it can be removed from Kagome's body. Yet if Kagome -is- the Shikon then she wouldn't be able to remember what she did if she ever used the powers because to access them she would have to delve deep within her, making her act as if she had another personality. True she could still use the power but only for minor things, like purification and maybe adding a bit of the power to attacks she uses. 

            "But from what you just told us, Kagome, you don't remember anything but a flash of light and when you did use the power you looked other worldly. A breeze that did not exist only effected you and you're eyes had darkened, you're voice deepened slightly so, over all, I think that you -are- the Shikon no Tama." Miroku closed his eyes once more, letting his words sink into his companions. 

            "So you're saying that that bitch is the Shikon?" Inuyasha was the first to break the silence and his answer were sweat drops and a growl from Kagome.

            "No, what he's saying is that we're going to be attacked by a lot more youkai as we go on." Shippo stated with a roll of his eyes. Of course that's not what Miroku was saying but that is what would happen. And what made his chest twist, or was it his heart, was that the youkai would be going after -his- Kagome. 'Er, wha? Mine? When did she become mine?' Shippo looked over at the said inu-youkai and felt his cheeks heat. 'Since she passed through your fox fire.' Shaking his head he leaned back against the wall of the hut, closing his eyes and folding his arms over his chest. 'Only in you're dreams Shippo…only in you're dreams.' And he drifted off to indulge in the fantasy of him and his Kagome together that would only happen in his dreams. So he thought.

            Kagome had no comment to add to what Miroku had said about her and as the rest dozed off she stayed awake staring at the fire, which she added more wood to when needed. Many questions ran through her head at one, creating chaos within her mind. Every word was mingled with one another; sentences went unfinished before another started. It was all just confusing. 'Was what he said true? Am I the Shikon? What if I am-does this mean that-what's going to-how do I control-arg!' Frustrated with herself Kagome scowled, tossing the stick she had been using to prod the fire into it.

            Glancing at her sleeping companions, her gaze lingering on a certain kit, she sighed and stood up. Quietly making her way out of the hut to take a small walk. Sure, if she was the Shikon walking out during the night wasn't the smartest thing to do but she needed to think. Tilting her head back she gazed at the stars when she stopped moving, just watching them. She seemed to calm down quite a bit from just watching them and suddenly she found that she was wishing she could be a star. Stars didn't have any worries or problems; they didn't even have to worry about emotions that couldn't be controlled. Shaking her head she looked away from the stars, she shouldn't be thinking like that. What she needed to think about was the problem at hand: her bring the Shikon no Tama. 

            So deep in her thoughts that she was she never noticed someone coming up behind her until a clawed hand dropped down on her shoulder. A high pitched shriek, that even she didn't know she could do, left her lips until the hand moved from her shoulder to her mouth to cut the sound off. She couldn't move, every muscle screamed for her to run but she was frozen to the spot, then she felt like growing when she heard who covered her mouth speak.

            "Oi, Kagome, do you have to make that infernal sound? I think my ears started to bleed."

            Whipping around with her eyes narrowed on the person she did growl. "Shippo, you scared the crap out of me!" She couldn't stay mad at him long tough; he had lifted the back of his head with a sheepish smile.

            "Sorry Kagome. I was going to say something but then you made that noise so I had to stop you before you hurt both of our ears." He was suddenly compelled to bend down and graze a kiss to her cheek, though he would have liked to kiss some place else, and he did. A light pink blush staining both their cheeks when he pulled back. "So, what are you doing out here by you're self?"

            She sighed, resisting the urge to lift her hand and touch where Shippo had kisses, and shrugged. "Well, I wanted to think and I think better out doors where I can see the stars. They help relax me and, boy, did I need relaxing." She laughed a bit, lifting her hands to clasp them behind her head. "Walk with me." When Shippo nodded they started to follow the path Kagome had started to follow.

            A silence fell over them, one of those comfortable silences, but still they felt the need to break it. But nether knew what to say so the sound of nothingness stayed. They walked for what felt like hours, when it was really only minutes, until they came upon a small lake, though a big pond would fit better. Glancing at once another then looking away with a blush Shippo moved to sit at the edge of the pond like thing while Kagome waded into it, stopping when the water reached her ankles, the water just barely touching the hem of her miko pants which she had pulled up. Both youkai tilted their heads back to look at the sky.

            "You're right, Kagome. The stars are relaxing." Shippo placed his hands behind him and leaned back on his palms, his legs stretching out in front of him.

            "I know. When I was little and frustrated with my brother when he made me do something I didn't want to, or didn't let me do something, I would hike up to this place that only I knew about and sit in a tree to just look at the stars. I always felt better when I did." Walking to where Shippo sat she plopped down next to him, taking up the same position that he was in. "What about you? Got and secret places you ever had?" She poked his side and arched a brow when he acked and turned away from her clawed finger. "You're not ticklish are you?"

            Shippo's eyes widened and he shook his head, holding his hands up to her. "Nonononono! I'm not ticklish, heh, nope not me, heh heh." at Kagomes widened grin he acked again and started to scramble up only to be tackled by the inu-youkai and pinned to the ground as she started to tickle his sides. "Gah! Kagome, stoooop! Ahahahahah! Please *laugh* Stop! *Gasp and more laughter*." 

            Kagome just snickered and continued but then it was her turn to ack as Shippo turned the tables on her. Now it was her turn to squirm and try to stop the offending fingers that tickled. "Shippo!" Laughter died down once she realized that Shippo had stopped ticking her and was looking down at her, his head cocked to the side with his hands resting on her hips. "Shippo?" Kagome could feel her heart started to beat wildly and her breath get caught in her throat. The kit was leaning down towards her, pausing when his head was inches away from hers. 

            Shippo gave a small groan as he watched her lick her lips. "Sorry Kagome." Before she could ask what he was sorry about she felt his lips against hers. It was a chaste kiss to begin with but Kagome lifted her head from the ground to add more pressure. Soon her right hand was resting against the back of his head and her left the back of his neck. Shippo's right hand moved from her hip to the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair, while his left moved to rest at the side of her head, holding his upper body weight up.

            Before the kiss could become any more heated than it was a roar filled the area followed by a familiar saying. "Give me the Shikon! I must have it, give it to me!" The pair bother growled and, reluctantly, stood up to face the youkai that was coming at them.

            Kagome could feel her eye start to twitch and her fingers clench into fists. "Stupid thing." A small voice in her head was hissing something to her but she couldn't hear what it was saying. Only when she strained to hear it did she understand what was being said. But because she had tried to listen to the voice she was once again in the mindless state, the same wind and blank look she had before had returned. Pretty much the same thing that happened to the other youkai that Kagome had destroyed happened to this one only this one exploded in a bloody mess before its parts disintegrated and floated to the wind. That little voice that had echoed in her head started to vanish, the words 'Kill, blood, kill it. Make it scream.' vanishing from her mind and memory as she fainted against Shippo who, once again, caught her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but it was one of my longer ones. x.X But, there was a bit of fluff in there for ya! ^_~ Hope you enjoyed the chapter and REVIEW! Please?


	9. A Single Red Rose: Love Blooms In Odd Pl...

Woo! Sorry for this update taking waaaaaaaayyyyy to long but I had lost the disk that this chapter was saved on. -.-; Found it tough! ^_^ Turns out my sister had hid it from me. *Le sigh* Anyway on with the story.

                                                A Single Red Rose

                                         Love Blooms In Odd Places

            The ground had traveled for another month that felt like a year to all of them. As they went on more and more youkai attacked them, demanding for the Shikon. And each time the same thing happened. Kagome would kill them with her unknown powers, which were slowly becoming known. Both Inuyasha and Shippo had made it a point to try and train Kagome on how to control her newfound power. Needless to say since they didn't know much about the jewel and its strengths the training wasn't that easy. But what they did tell her helped her to control it and stay conscious while doing so. One of these training sessions was going on right that moment, only Shippo was the only teacher. Inuyasha had gotten fed up and gone back to the hut the group was staying in.

            "Good Kagome that was a lot stronger than last time and your still awake! But how do you feel?"

            "Erm, a bit woozy but other wise okay." Placing her hand on her forehead she blew out a slow breath, closing her eyes so the dizziness passed. While Kagome took deep breaths Shippo sat down where he was standing, watching her with out really realizing how intently he was staring at her. When Kagome opened her eyes she was staring right into the deep green of Shippo's and she felt a slight blush start to crawl up her next when he didn't look away. "Um, so what now Shippo-kun?" 

Shippo blinked, as if her saying his name snapped him from whatever trance he was in, and rubbed the back of his head finally breaking eye contact with her. "I guess we can stop for tonight. We have been out here for almost three hours and if Inuyasha was still out here we'd probably still be going." He chuckled and stood up, dusting grass off of his pants as well as flicking it out of his tail. "So we can do whatever you want to do Kagome." 

She smiled and walked to where he was standing and hugged him. "Thank you Shippo-kun. For not getting frustrated with me and helping me with this." She gave him an extra squeeze and kissed his cheek.

His cheeks turned a light pink color as he returned the squeeze. "No problem Kagome." _'She smells good.'_  Closing his eyes he inhaled the sent of her through his nose. _'Like flowers and rain.'_  They stood there a moment longer before both realized that the embrace had lasted longer then had been planned. With blushes on both of their cheeks they stepped back suddenly finding the ground fascinating.

"Uh, well, maybe we should turn in. It has gotten late." Kagome clasped her hands behind her back, her eyes flickering upwards as she spoke.

Lifting his gaze to lock on to the she youkai in front of him Shippo gave her a small smile. "You go on ahead, Kagome. I think I'll stay out for a while longer." 

"Alright. Good night Shippo-kun." With the goodnight repeated back to her she walked back towards the hut, Shippo watching her until she vanished inside. 

Shippo heaved a sigh and let himself fall back onto the ground, his arms folding behind his head to cradle it as he looked to the stars. Thinking back to when he first met Kagome and the others he let his vision blur with the memories. He remembered one night after their first shared kiss, the one that had been rudely interrupted by another demon out for Shikon no Tama, when they had been alone again and things had gotten a little, well, heated between them.

~*~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

            "Come on Shippo! You've got to be able to move faster than that!" Kagome's laughter rang through the small campsite as the kitsune chased the inu-youkai. Running around the fire and the others sitting around it they were playing a small game of tag, Sango had suggested it for a type of training to keep them in shape which Inuyasha had scoffed at denied to play while saying it was a child's game. But after running around the other three everyone had gotten a little annoyed at their antics.

            "Enough!" Sango jumped to her feet after Shippo had tripped yet again while trying to lung for Kagome, landing on the exterminator. At the tone in the older woman's voice both, playing, youkai froze. "Go play out in the woods or something before you rip up the whole camp!" Nether youkai dared say anything to upset Sango further so they crept out, tails between their legs. 

            Once they were away from the camp they had started to play again while commenting on Sango's change of attitude toward the game she had suggested. But soon even that was forgotten as they were once again caught up in their game, Kagome taunting the Kit. Kagome had leapt into the trees and started leaping from one to another, Shippo close behind her. 

            "I'm catching up to you Kagome!" Shippo had indeed gotten closer to her as the distance between the trees gradually grew. With a laugh the kit jumped from his tree to Kagomes, grapping her around the waist before she could jump. "Got you."

            She had been squirming against his hold until she felt his warm breath at her ear and his low voice. Swallowing she turned her head to look at him, a sly grin creeping onto her features. "So you have."  She had lowered her voice to a sexy little purr, which instantly affected the youkai behind her. She felt his arm tense and tighten only slightly around her waist. Pushing back against him she hoped to knock him off the tree so she could run again. Well it worked, she made him fall from the tree only he took her with her. With a yelps from both they hit the ground, Shippo having made sure he hit the ground first to keep Kagome from getting hurt. When she landed on him he made an off sound.

            "What was that for?!" Kagome screeched, lifting her head from his chest to look down at him.

            Blinking he tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean what was that for? You're the one that made us fall."

            "Yeah but you…you were supposed to let me go!" She huffed and started to scramble off of him only to be stopped as him arm circled her waist again.

            It was Shippo's turn to smirk when her eyes widened when he started to stroke the small of her back, his fingers creeping to the base of her tail which she had kept hidden until the game (She used the fluffy whiteness to try and distract him).  "But then you would have gotten away again and that wouldn't have been fair, considering now you're it." The way her body tensed then relaxed under his petting made his smirk widen. "Something wrong Kagome? You've gone quiet." Well, not completely quiet. She was purring and the vibration from that against his chest made him want to purr as well. 

            Turning glazed golden blue eyes to him she blinked lazily and opened her mouth to speak, only nothing came out so she closed it again. This action brought Shippo's eyes down to her full lips, her full kissable lips. Closing his eyes tightly he tried to force the image of their last kiss from his mind. He couldn't do that again. It was then he realized that her purring had stopped and his little tail petting session had stopped as well. Opening his eyes he looked to Kagome who continued to stare at him, only her gaze was directed to where his had been, at his lips. "Kagome?" He never got his full question out before her lips lightly grazed his, as if she were asking if it was okay to kiss him.  To answer her question he lifted his head to press his lips to hers. 

            At first the kiss started like every kiss does, slow as if it were an experiment, then it became more. Instead of the light pressure of lips against lips it increased as Shippo threaded his fingers through her hair and Kagome cupped his cheeks in her palms. Unknown to them heir tails had entwined and were swaying together as if dancing. Cradling her head in his palm he rolled so he was pinning her to the ground instead of the other way around. Soon the touching of only their lips wasn't enough and Shippo lightly danced his fingers down along her sides while tracing the outline of her lips with his tongue. Kagome responded by parting her lips as well as sliding her hands down along her back. 

            If it hadn't been for the sharp caw of a raven things might have gone further but the sharp interruption of the bid had them jerking their heads back to look to where the caw came from then back to each other. Their cheeks colored and Shippo scrambled up off of her, pulling her up by taking her hand. "Uh, we should get back to camp." They avoided eye contact and, when Kagome nodded, started back to camp.

~*~*~*~*~End Flashback~*~*~*~*~

            With a sigh Shippo blinked and his vision cleared as he pulled himself from the memory. Shaking his head he sat up, rubbing his temples lightly to try and put the memory back into the corner of his mind. It was then that he found out something shocking, something that had him jerking his head up to look back to the sky. "I'm in love with Kagome."  

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Wowzers! Hope that chapter made up for me not posting in moths, if so leave meh a review! Pwease?


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